. The popular natural history . Zoology. THE HEJiON. 387 The forehead, top of the head, and neck are rather dark slaty ash, and a patch of greyish white extends from behind the eyes, partially down the neck on each side. The general surface of the body is soft ashen grey, and the primaries are black. The long plumy tertials form two crest-like ornaments, which can be raised or depressed at will. The eyes are red, and the beak is yellow with a green tinge. The total length of the adult crane is about four feet, but it is rather variable in point of size, and the males are rather larger than the
. The popular natural history . Zoology. THE HEJiON. 387 The forehead, top of the head, and neck are rather dark slaty ash, and a patch of greyish white extends from behind the eyes, partially down the neck on each side. The general surface of the body is soft ashen grey, and the primaries are black. The long plumy tertials form two crest-like ornaments, which can be raised or depressed at will. The eyes are red, and the beak is yellow with a green tinge. The total length of the adult crane is about four feet, but it is rather variable in point of size, and the males are rather larger than the females. The Demoiselle, or Numidian Crane is common in many parts of Africa, and has been seen in some portions of Asia, and occasionally in Eastern Europe. It is a very pretty bird, the soft texture of the flowing plumage, and the delicate greys of the feathers, harmonizing with eaeh other in a very agreeable manner. The general tint of tl;ie plumage is blue-grey, taking a more leaden tone on the head and neck, and offering a beautiful contrast to the snowy white ear-tufts, issuing from velvety black, which decorate the head. There is also a tuft of long flowing plumes of a deep black-grey hanging from the breast. Its secondaries are much elongated, and hang over the primaries and tail- feathers. In height the De- moiselle Crane is about three feet six inches. The well-known Heron was once one of our com- monest English birds, but on account of the draining of swamps and their conver- sion into fertilized and ha- bitable ground, is now sel- dom to be seen except in certain localities which still. CRANE.—{Grus cinerea.) retain the conditions that render them so acceptable to this bird. There are some places where Herons are yet plentiful, especially those localities where the owner of the land has established or protected the nests, or where a wide expanse of wild uncultivated ground affords them a retreat. Only a few days ago I came suddenly on three of these beautiful bir
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1884
